, ohayo gozaimasu (polite). Full guide to greeting etiquette, business workplace use, and when good morning lasts until noon.){kind=link}
Quick Answer
Good morning in Japanese is “ohayo” (おはよう) for casual situations and “ohayo gozaimasu” (おはようございます) for polite situations. Use ohayo with close friends and family. Use ohayo gozaimasu with strangers, elders, in business settings, and in any uncertain situation. The greeting is used until roughly mid-day in casual contexts; in some workplaces (especially TV studios, hospitality and entertainment industries), staff use ohayo gozaimasu as the standard greeting upon first meeting that day, regardless of clock time.
At a glance: Japanese morning greetings
| Greeting | Japanese | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| Ohayo | おはよう | Casual; friends, family, close colleagues |
| Ohayo gozaimasu | おはようございます | Polite; strangers, elders, business, any uncertain situation |
| Ossu | おっす | Very casual male slang; sports teams, close male friends |
| Time range | — | Morning until ~10:30; in some workplaces, until first meeting that day regardless of time |
| Pronunciation | — | oh-HAH-yoh / oh-HAH-yoh-goh-zai-mass |
What does ohayo literally mean?
Ohayo (おはよう) is a contraction of o-hayaku (お早く), which literally means “early”. The implied full sentiment is “you are early” — a recognition that the other person has gotten up and arrived in the morning. Over centuries the polite phrase shortened to ohayo, retaining the early-morning connotation but losing its literal meaning in modern usage.
This etymology explains why Japanese people in some industries greet with ohayo gozaimasu even at 3pm or 11pm — the greeting acknowledges “you have arrived for work today, hello”, not literally “the sun is up”. TV producers, hospitality workers and entertainment industry staff continue this tradition: ohayo gozaimasu is the universal “first encounter of the day” greeting.
Ohayo vs ohayo gozaimasu: when each is correct
The choice depends on relationship and setting:
- Family at home: ohayo (casual). Saying ohayo gozaimasu to your spouse or child sounds excessively formal.
- Close friends: ohayo. Adding gozaimasu would feel like creating distance.
- Workplace, first arrival: ohayo gozaimasu. Even between long-term colleagues, this is the standard.
- Boss / senior colleague: always ohayo gozaimasu, often with a slight bow.
- Service workers (cashier, hotel staff): ohayo gozaimasu for politeness.
- Strangers (someone in the elevator, neighbour): ohayo gozaimasu.
- Tourist in any uncertain situation: ohayo gozaimasu — never wrong, even if slightly over-formal.
How long does the morning greeting last?
Three different conventions:
- Casual / household: until roughly 10:30 or 11:00. After that, switch to konnichiwa (こんにちは, “hello / good afternoon”).
- Office / business: until first encounter with each colleague that day — even if that meeting is at 3pm. Once you have met and exchanged ohayo gozaimasu, subsequent encounters use neutral phrases like otsukaresama desu.
- TV / hospitality / entertainment: ohayo gozaimasu used universally as the “first meeting today” greeting, regardless of clock time. A staffer arriving for an evening shift will say ohayo gozaimasu to colleagues at 18:00.
How to pronounce ohayo correctly
Common pronunciation issues for Westerners:
- Right: oh-HAH-yoh (three syllables, slight emphasis on second)
- Wrong: O-high-OH (Western emphasis on third syllable, like the US state)
- Right: oh-HAH-yoh-goh-zai-mass (the final “u” of gozaimasu is whispered, almost silent)
- Wrong: oh-hi-oh-go-zah-i-mah-soo (overpronounced final vowel)
The Japanese rule about whispered final vowels (specifically the “u” in -masu, -tasu, -bu) takes practice. Native speakers rarely fully voice that final u — it ends abruptly with the s sound.
In writing: hiragana, katakana, romaji
- Hiragana (most common): おはよう / おはようございます
- Katakana (foreign-language emphasis or stylised): オハヨウ — rare in real use
- Romaji: ohayo / ohayo gozaimasu — for Western readers
- Kanji: 御早う — formal, archaic, almost never used in daily life
Common follow-up phrases
After saying good morning, useful follow-up phrases for travellers:
- Genki desu ka? (元気ですか) — “How are you?” (with health connotations)
- Yoku nemureta? (よく眠れた) — “Did you sleep well?”
- Tenki ga ii desu ne (天気がいいですね) — “Nice weather, isn’t it?” (extremely common Japanese small talk)
- Itadakimasu (いただきます) — “I will receive [the food]” — said before eating breakfast
- Ittekimasu (行ってきます) — “I am leaving and will come back” — said when going out
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say good morning in Japanese?
Casually, ohayo (おはよう). Politely, ohayo gozaimasu (おはようございます). For tourists in any uncertain situation, default to ohayo gozaimasu — it is never wrong, even if slightly over-formal.
What is the difference between ohayo and ohayo gozaimasu?
Ohayo is casual — used with family, close friends, and informal settings. Ohayo gozaimasu is polite — used with strangers, elders, business contacts, and in any setting where you do not have a close personal relationship.
Until what time can you say ohayo?
In casual contexts, until roughly 10:30 or 11:00 in the morning. In Japanese workplaces, ohayo gozaimasu is used at the first encounter of the day with each colleague — even if that meeting is at 3pm. In TV, hospitality and entertainment industries, ohayo gozaimasu is used at any time as the ‘first meeting today’ greeting.
Why do TV studios say ohayo gozaimasu in the evening?
It is industry tradition. The original meaning of ohayo (early — ‘you have arrived early today’) has been retained as the universal ‘I am meeting you for the first time today’ greeting. TV, hospitality and entertainment staff use it regardless of clock time.
How do you pronounce ohayo gozaimasu?
oh-HAH-yoh-goh-zai-mass. Three rules: emphasis on the second syllable of ohayo; the goh-zai-mass part has even pacing; and the final ‘u’ of -masu is whispered, almost silent. Native speakers rarely fully voice it.
Is ossu the same as ohayo?
Both are morning greetings, but ossu (おっす) is much more casual and primarily male. It is used among male sports team members and close male friends. Saying ossu in a business setting or to a stranger would seem rude. For tourists, stick with ohayo gozaimasu.
Recommended on Amazon
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- Lonely Planet Japanese Phrasebook & Dictionary — covers all greeting forms; see our phrasebook comparison
- Japanese from Zero! Book 1 — best beginner Japanese self-study textbook
- Genki I: Elementary Japanese textbook — standard Japanese university textbook